The acclaimed British choreographer Aakash Odedra is to perform in Vietnam on March 23, 26 and 27.

Aakash Odedra is set to perform Murmur 2.0, the visually beautiful, heart-wrenching and dramatic piece which he presented at TEDGlobal as a TED Talk.

The performance is part of the British Council’s work in showcasing the best of British contemporary dance in Vietnam. It also marks another partnership between the British Council and HSBC Vietnam ever since the bank sponsored the world-renowned English National Ballet tour in Vietnam a few years ago.

The two intensely personal solo pieces of Murmur and Nritta will be taken to stage on March 23 at Hanoi Opera House, on March 26-27 at Ho Chi Minh Opera House. Tickets are now available at the two venues, or can be booked online via www.ticketvn.com and www.ticketbox.vn.

Cherry Gough, Director of the British Council Vietnam said ‘2016 is a special year full of exciting activities for the British Council as we celebrate Shakespeare’s work worldwide on the 400th anniversary of his death. To make this year even more memorable, we are delighted to be co-operating with HSBC Vietnam to introduce Aakash Odedra, one of the most sought-after contemporary British dancers today.

Aakash has developed his own choreographic works including for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the closing of the London Cultural Olympiad, and has received numerous awards and bursaries including a Sky Academy Arts Scholarship. We hope audiences in Vietnam will be both entertained and inspired by this beautiful and thought-provoking performance.

Aakash struggled with dyslexia since a young age and felt he “was defined by his learning difficulties, but not his abilities. As written language was so alien, dance became his preferred mode of expression.” In Murmur, Aakash and Australian choreographer Lewis Major delve into the idea of warped and exaggerated realities. In a major collaboration with Major and Arts Electronica Futurelab (Linz, Austria), the company explores how the misconceptions of dyslexia can be revealed through visual design, light, sound and movement.

In Nritta, choreographed by Odedra himself, the audience can see a dazzling display of technical feats. He moves with such agility that it is hard for the eye to follow. His feet beat out the rhythms, his gestures sweep and swerve and throughout he remains poised, completely in control. It is a perfect introduction to the marvels that Odedra can produce.

“This show establishes Odedra not just as Akram Khan’s protégé or a “rising star” of Indian fusion dance in Britain, but a highly interesting young creative voice. His dancing is a pleasure to watch, particularly when he returns to the Kathak classical idiom and shows us the talent and training that first brought him to Khan’s notice,” - Hanna Weibye from Theartdesk.com

British Council